Finding the Missing Piece: Book 2

Chapter Thirty

Peeta POV-

"You were dead, Peeta." Katniss says sadly.

I wrap my arms tighter around her body.

"It was so real. You were fine and then you were just gone like that, just like Prim and my Dad." She cries.

Everytime Katniss has a bad dream now, it usually involves me dying.

Used to, it was only of her dad then when Prim died, she had nightmares of her.

Now for whatever reason, her nightmares consist of mostly of me or all three of us.

I remember the night of the sleepover a few years ago, she woke up from a bad dream.

I had known her about a week and I remember her pouring her heart and soul out to me.

That night, I wanted to tell her so bad about my feelings towards her but I just couldn't, it was too soon for me.

I let her cry for a little longer.

I learned that she feels a lot better afterwards.

I comb her hair through my fingers in a comforting way as she sobs and sobs until her sobs turn into a slow, steady paced breathing.

She lays there for hours before she even allows herself to close her eyes.

I caress her back gently as I start to doze off myself.

I am so tired from staying up most of the night but I want to make sure she's asleep before I even attempt it.

At about 9:30am, the sun is up completely and is glowing brightly through the curtains.

Suddenly, her body shivers from the little breeze coming from the open window so I wrap my arms tighter around her and pull more of the blanket off of me and onto her.

I tuck it in on the sides and set my cheek back onto the top of her head.

"Can you go back to sleep?" I ask her.

"I've been trying but I'm scared. Every time I close my eyes, I see you and you're gone." She frowns.

"I'm not going anywhere." I whisper softly.

I hear her inhale a deep breath and let it go as she speaks, "I love you so much, Peeta." She croaks out.

I smile sadly to myself.

"I love you. Do you wanna tell me what happened?" I ask her.

She nods her head.

I see her eyes are puffy and have bags under them and they aren't at all their normal bright gray.

I frown at the sight.

Her nightmares ruin her whole day and our sleeping pattern.

Sometimes it can take her days to get back to normal, but I just try to be patient with her and do all I can to help.

She closes her eyes tightly and begins to describe the dream.

Katniss POV-

I close my eyes, "I saw you there. We were at the college, in your dorm. Everything was just perfect. Everything."

I open my eyes to see Peeta staring at me with tired eyes.

"We were asleep and then in the middle of the night, someone knocked on the door. It was my dad and Prim. I was so excited to see them and you were too. You got to meet my dad too. He really liked you. My mom even came. She was so happy to see Prim and my dad and us too. Everyone was so happy and it was just amazing really." I recall.

Peeta gives me a sad smile and then a frown, knowing that it can't be good.

"What happened next?" He asks.

I take a death breath, "Then Delly and Dylan came." I start and Peeta just narrows his eyebrows.

I know that he cannot stand Delly and to know that Dylan was also in my dream too makes him mad.

I know it does me.

"They came and Delly took you from me. You just left with her like nothing and Dylan came over to me. My dad saw and tried to get him off and then Mom and even Prim. He wouldn't leave and then you and Delly came back. Dylan got mad and killed my Dad and Prim. Then I was screaming for you and then he got angry and killed you too." I say, choked up and shivering at the false memory.

Peeta let's out a sigh.

"Katniss, I'm so sorry you have to go through these nightmares." He whispers, kissing my forehead.

"I'm sorry you have to go through them with me." I tell him.

"Katniss, I don't mind at all really. I want to be able to help you and if losing sleep is what it takes then I'll do it. I just want you to feel better."

I look down and grab his warm hand into mine.

I give it a kiss and push my face in between his neck and chest and the couch. His jawbone encloses my face and we just lay there in silence.

I am so lucky to have Peeta.

I have had some pretty rough times but Peeta has been there to help me. He even tries to help me cope with my Dad. Peeta didn't even know me when he passed yet he knows time hasn't healed my wounds and he still tries to help.

He tries to understand me and I think really does.

Peeta knows me better than anyone and sometimes more than I know myself.

I feel so special to be laying on this couch right here with him.

I feel so lucky to have known him for a little over two years, even though it's seemed like forever ago that we met.

I feel as if I've known him my whole life and I think it's some special bond we have and I love it.

My mind spends another few hours contemplating whether or not to give sleep another shot.

Eventually, I can't resist it anymore and I fall asleep.
I don't know when it is exactly that I fall asleep nor when it is exactly that Peeta falls asleep too but I know I hear him softly snoring into my ear before long.

When I wake again, it's four in the afternoon.

I wake up after a nightmare free, safe and secure sleep.

Peeta says he slept well too, knowing that I wasn't having any nightmares and that makes me feel exceptionally precious in such a way it's heart warming.